The Good
Beginning with your look at the cover (which is by Neil Googe and Rex Lokus), writer Tom Taylor is setting up a great joke -- one which will completely defy your expectations and make you want to see where it'll go next. To say anything else would potentially ruin the fun, so I'll just leave it at that and move on to what else makes this debut chapter worthy of your attention. The Injustice story has been a mostly serious, intense, and foreboding ride and understandably so. It's an unpleasant place for these heroes and villains and occasionally someone like Harley Quinn, Guy Gardner, or Green Arrow will help lighten the mood. However, none of those characters are really considered the franchise's big leads. Sure, they get their moments to shine or have chapters dedicated to them every now and then, but they're not leading the narrative. With YEAR THREE, it looks like John Constantine will be our primary lead, and that's pretty exciting. In Taylor's hand, he's a lovable character who tells it like it is and does so in a delightfully entertaining manner. However, the enjoyable banter doesn't take away from the franchise's serious atmosphere -- it just makes it more engaging. Even though he's dropping smile-inducing insults and what not, an emotional connection is established right away, so there's some depth with his actions. It's not just laughs for the sake of laughs.
In case you weren't paying attention, a giant deathmatch between characters who could level cities just went down. Instead of simply moving forward, Taylor finds a way to work in an organic connection to this battle's aftermath and gives us a different perspective of it. While we were up there watching these characters fire energy blasts and what have you, onlookers were suffering as debris and bodies came violently crashing down. It's a fitting way to begin Constantine's story and, as stated above, does a fine job giving us an emotional connection to the guy. It's just the right amount of darkness to remind us how messed up this world has become.
Whether it's a look at the toll a superpowered battle takes on a populated city or a charming smirk, Bruno Redondo, Xermanico and colorist J. Nanjan give us an immersive look which manages to hit just the right tone for each scene. The characters are lively, the effects are eye-catching, and the attention given to the locations is commendable. As for the layouts, aside from one minor gripe aside (see below), the experience is paced well and they do a terrific job handling the final reveal.
The Bad
This first issue does a great job building interest in the road ahead with teasers and what not, but as much as I enjoyed it, nothing really bumped it to a 5-star level for me (although, I imagine big fans of the mystical side of the DCU will beg to differ!). There's an amusing cliffhanger and it's a well-written journey, but nothing here really dropped my jaw or blew me away. Don't get me wrong, it's a thoroughly entertaining ride (you saw the 4-stars above, yes?), but it definitely feels like it's focused on buildup and rightfully so.
Minor gripe: the door sequence could have been cut shorter. I get why it's extended like that and the payoff is good, but given the limited amount of space these chapters have, I'd rather have more room for dialogue between the cast.
The Verdict
INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US is known for it's spectacle and shock value, but YEAR THREE brings a more uplifting and enjoyable note. Sure, there's some bleak reflection on the massive battle, how much it impacted the world, and teasing a new threat, but Constantine's a lead that feels like a perfect for the witty writer. The character's sharp and straightforward, making him a likable and often entertaining lead. In an alternate timeline with so much death, darkness, and depressing material, following Constantine's side of the story will feel like a whole new look at this story. Here's hoping he continues to earn much of the spotlight as more and more characters are brought into the picture.
YEAR ONE was a chaotic ride that was full of twists and turns. YEAR TWO gave us time to let all of those big events sink in and offered some character-driven chapters before hitting us with over-the-top action. YEAR THREE? It's looking like it'll be a big ol' dose of fun, and that's something that'll bring this book in a refreshing direction.
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